April 2026

Keep up-to-date with us and what's happening in the education sector

• 2025 Annual Accounts
• Important Notices
• Fuel Costs and School Budgets - What to Watch
• Xero Tip of the Month: Faster Bill Management With Quick View
• How to Track and Report Fundraising Income Properly
• Looking ahead

We are pleased to confirm that the draft financial statements for all schools we assist were submitted to the auditors ahead of the 31 March deadline.

So what happens now:

• The auditors are reviewing the accounts and will likely come back with queries or requests for additional information. We will respond to as many of these as possible to minimise disruption for your school. Where information is required directly from the school, we kindly ask that this is provided as soon as possible to help keep the audit on track. If you need any assistance, please feel free to contact us.
• Once the audit is complete, there may be a small number of adjustments required. We will make these and update the financial statements accordingly.
• The finalised financial statements will then be sent to the school for signing, along with the Letter of Representation. This is expected in early to mid-May.
• The signed accounts will then need to be returned to the auditors so they can issue their audit opinion.
• Finally, the auditors will then stamp and send the final audited financial statements and the audit opinion to the schools. The audited financial statements, audit opinion, and other compulsory statements need to be grouped into one document for uploading to the Ministry of Education by 31 May 2026. 

If you have any questions at any stage of the process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Submitting your Annual Report

Schools are required to submit their annual report through the School Planning and Reporting Application (SPAR). Guidance on using the system is available within the application.

The School Planning and Reporting Application uses your Education Sector Logon (ESL). To gain access, you will need to contact your school’s ESL Delegated Authoriser and request access to SPAR.

Delegated Authorisers will then need to assign the School Planning and Reporting role to users, as shown below.

Detailed guidance for Delegated Authorisers on how to set up new roles for users, as well as further information about ESL, logging in, and accessing the system, can be found via the links below.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Pourato 2026 Confirmed Staffing Entitlement Published:

A reminder that your confirmed staffing entitlement is now available in Pourato. To access it, go to ‘staffing’ on the navigation bar and select ‘staffing entitlement’.   

Once accessed, please export the entitlement notice as an Excel file and upload it to Google Drive - MOE Grant Advices – Staffing Entitlement.

If your school's roll has increased and remains at that level for at least 5 school days, you can request a staffing increase. For further details, please click the button below.

Support Staff in Schools’ Collective and Individual Employment Agreements:

The Ministry of Education Support Staff in Schools Collective Agreement has now been signed, confirming updated pay rates and conditions for eligible staff.

Schools will also need to ensure that non-union staff are covered by updated Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) where required, aligned with the new terms.

These changes will result in increased payroll costs and should be reflected in budgeting and forecasting for the year ahead. The financial impact will vary between schools depending on staffing composition, but most will need to allow for the revised pay scales.

Key actions for schools include:

• Reviewing staffing budgets against the new pay rates
• Confirming which staff are covered by the collective agreement or IEAs
• Updating employment documentation where required

Early review will help ensure payroll and budgets remain aligned.

FUEL COSTS AND SCHOOL BUDGETS - WHAT TO WATCH

Recent updates from the Government have highlighted temporary increases to relief teacher travel kilometre rates, in response to rising fuel costs. While this provides some support for staff, it also means higher costs for schools, as these payments are funded through operational grants.

In addition, some suppliers are beginning to introduce fuel surcharges or adjust pricing to reflect increased transport costs. While these changes may seem minor individually, they can add up over time and place additional pressure on already tight school budgets.

We recommend schools keep a close eye on:

• Relief teacher travel expenses
• Supplier invoices for new or increased fuel-related charges
• Overall budget variances linked to transport and delivery costs

Staying aware of these trends early can help schools plan ahead and avoid unexpected budget pressures as the year progresses.

Fundraising plays a vital role in supporting school communities, funding extracurricular activities, resources, and special projects that fall outside core curriculum delivery.

However, without clear tracking and reporting processes, it can quickly become difficult to maintain accuracy and transparency in financial reporting.

Establishing a structured approach helps schools maintain trust with their community and ensures fundraising income is accurately reflected in financial statements.

Best Practices for Tracking Fundraising Income

1. Separate Fundraising from Other Income Streams: Create distinct codes or categories within your accounting system (such as Xero) for each fundraising activity. This helps ensure income and related expenses are clearly matched.
2. Record Income at Source Level: Where possible, track income by event or campaign (e.g. gala, sausage sizzle, online donation drive). This allows schools to assess which activities are most effective.
3. Match Expenses to Fundraising Activities: Include all related costs such as venue hire, materials, or promotional expenses. This provides a true picture of net fundraising performance.
4. Use Consistent Naming Conventions: Standardise naming across all entries (e.g. “2026 PTA Gala” rather than variations like “Gala Night” or “School Gala”). Consistency improves reporting accuracy and reduces errors.
5. Reconcile Regularly: Reconcile fundraising accounts monthly to ensure all income has been received and correctly allocated. This is especially important during busy event periods.
6. Track Online and Cash Donations Separately: Different payment channels require different reconciliation processes. Ensure online platforms, cash collections, and bank transfers are all individually tracked.

Reporting Fundraising Results Effectively

Clear reporting is just as important as accurate tracking. Schools should aim to provide:

• Summary reports per campaign (income, expenses, and net result)
• Year-to-date fundraising totals
• Comparisons against previous years or targets
• Breakdown by fundraising type

This level of reporting supports better decision-making and helps school leadership understand the true impact of fundraising efforts.

How Accounting for Schools Can Help

At Accounting for Schools, we can help you build robust financial systems and structured reporting frameworks that make fundraising tracking and reporting simple, accurate, and transparent.

With the right systems in place, you’ll gain greater visibility over what’s working, where improvements can be made, and how your fundraising efforts are contributing to your school’s broader goals.

271 Willis Street, Wellington 6011

P: 04-909-7729  l  P: 0800-275-237  l  

E: admin@afsl.nz  l  W: afsl.nz

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